Naomi Broady claims Iga Swiatek is better at one thing than anyone in both men’s and women’s tennis

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Iga Swiatek is undoubtedly the woman to beat on the tennis court, with the world number one in scintillating form.

The Pole has stormed into the semi-finals of the French Open, having blown away all of her opponents thus far.

The 23-year-old has dropped just one set at this year’s Roland Garros, which came in her second round meeting with Naomi Osaka.

Great friends off the court, the two had contrasting opinions during their clash, with Swiatek not happy with the noise from the crowd, something that Osaka thoroughly enjoyed.

It was, however, the unhappier of the two that progressed, with the Pole now facing a different challenge in the last four.

Naomi Broady identifies top Iga Swiatek characteristic

She has been drawn to face Coco Gauff, who is also in fine form on the clay, having beaten Ons Jabeur in the quarter-finals.

The American secured a comeback victory at Roland Garros, coming out on top 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, with former men’s professional Alex Corretja privately praising her immediately after.

Women’s ace Naomi Broady meanwhile was full of praise for Swiatek following her 6-0, 6-2 thrashing of Marketa Vondrousova, identifying an area of her game that is the best in all of tennis.

“Swiatek is the best front runner, I would actually say in all of tennis, men and women,” Broady said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

“I think that’s to do with the intensity she carries, it’s so tough to match. There’s barely a moment where she loses focus.”

Will Iga Swiatek win yet another French Open title?

Swiatek has been very strong in major tournaments over the years, although she has come up short at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

A quarter-final finish in 2023 is her best in the former tournament, with a semi-final spot in 2022 her best in the latter.

She has tasted success in the US Open, winning the competition in 2022, but it is on the famous French Open clay where her best tennis is played.

The Pole has won at Roland Garros on three occasions, with two of those titles coming in the last two years.

And Gauff won’t have positive memories of the first of those titles, with Swiatek defeating the American 6-1, 6-3 in the 2022 final.

Gauff now has a fantastic chance to enact revenge in Paris, but that is much easier said than done, with her opponent clearly keen on another Grand Slam.